When it comes to raising Christian children, I’ve been
blessed with an interesting vantage point.
My roles as both a parent and a director in the Children’s
ministry have afforded me a truly unique opportunity to view the entire
spectrum, from the home to the church, from the parent to the pastor, and most
importantly, the stages our children must advance through to reach maturity.
During these twenty plus years, I have learned many things. Perhaps the most
vital is that a parent can't go it alone, but neither can the church.
Successfully raising a child in Christ requires collaboration. Equally
important is a lesson I first learned in my work in the ministry - in order to
keep kids interested in church activities, methods for discipleship training
have to be kept current and relative to a generation that walks around with
access to the entire world at their fingertips - and this is just as crucial to
skillful parenting.
As I began my preparations for this post, I knew I would
be meeting up with an old friend... Proverbs 22:6, which is cited by children's
ministries in many denominations as an integral part of their vision or mission
statement:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when
he is old, he will not turn from it.”
Verse 15 also struck me as PG – “ Parental Guidance”:
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a
child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.”
What a profound reminder that, while sin is
inherent, appropriate discipline and defined boundaries are key to training a
wise child.
Advice from King Solomon is as relevant to modern parents
as it was to the audience of his time.
All of the verses found in Chapter 22 speak with relevance
to people of all ages and at all stages of life - old and young, parent and
child, teacher and student. They counsel us on how to treat one another
(vs.9-10, 22); the importance of seeking knowledge and wisdom and keeping it
close to our hearts (v.12, 17-18, 21); how our own behavior affects us as well
as those around us (v.1, 3, 5, 8, 11-13, 24-25); and even how to behave in our
business dealings (v.7, 16, 26-27, 28, 29).
And here is perhaps the most beautiful, promising verse of all:
To each and every one of us, he gives the best advice of all
–put your trust in the Lord. Wisdom and leadership really do transcend the
ages.
How many times have you heard the phrase, “I wish they
(children) came with a (parenting) manual!”? Well, maybe it's been right here,
under our noses all the time, in Proverbs.
If Solomon was here today, what do you think he would say
to us?
Jean McDaniel
Director of Children's Ministries
Chase Campus
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